The healthcare interview can be full of questions, but some of the most important ones are actually asked by the candidates themselves.

Healthcare employers regularly receive dozens of applications for every open position whether they’re advertising for an allied health professional, administrator, nurse, or physician. If you want to land one of these jobs, you must outshine the equally qualified competition. One of the most often overlooked—yet easiest—ways you can do this is to ask the hiring manager the right questions during your interview. Consider the following queries that will make healthcare employers want to hire you.

1. How would you describe your management style?

Hiring managers spend a lot of time listening to candidates talk about their experiences and characteristics. Ask a question that allows them to spend a few minutes talking about their own experiences and you’re certain to stand out. This question allows you to determine whether working under a particular individual will be a pleasant step in your healthcare career while showing you’re mature enough to consider the cultural fit and not just going after any available opportunity.

2. How would you describe the top nurses/physicians/administrators on your team?

This is an attention-grabbing question because it shows the healthcare hiring manager you intend to put in more than the bare minimum effort if hired. At the same time, you’ll glean valuable information about expectations that can help you determine whether the opportunity is right for you. For example, if the hiring manager's response is that top performers work 16 hours per day and forgo vacation and personal time, you may decide it's a position you’d prefer to let pass by.

3. Why is this medical practice position currently available?

Again, a question like this will show you’re thinking about more than just landing any healthcare job, and instead, want to understand the employer’s situation. The hiring manager’s answer could be quite revealing as well. For example, if he or she responds that the medical practice has seen big increases in patients due to recent marketing efforts, it could indicate the position will provide you with job security as well as future opportunities for advancement.

4. How long have you worked here, and what do you like most about this hospital/clinic/practice?

This question provides your interviewer with another opportunity to talk about their own experience for a change. In exchange, you will gain some insight into employee longevity as well as the best aspects of the organization’s culture. Don’t hesitate to throw in relevant follow-up questions, too. For example, if they've only been with the healthcare facility for a short while, ask about the career path that brought them there.

5. Is there anything you’d like me to clarify regarding my skills and experience?

Wrap up with this question to guide the hiring manager’s focus back to what you can bring to the healthcare organization. It will prompt a mental review of your previous responses and provide an opportunity for him or her to ask additional questions that may have come to mind while they were responding to your inquiries.

The next time a hiring manager gives you the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the interview, try a few of the queries above and avoid any pertaining to salary, benefits, or schedule flexibility. You’ll make a favorable impression and increase your chances of securing your next job.